Flat Pass Trail

Flat Pass Trail

The Flat Pass Trail is an advanced technical ride with some similarities to the Porcupine Rim Trail. Ridden south-to-north, there's an initial 1000 feet climb over 4 miles, then 1500 feet of descent over 6 miles. It can be ridden as a 10-mile point-to-point with a shuttle, or a 19-mile loop (with the return on paved road). The 10-mile version is strenuous; the 19-mile loop is a killer.

Matt Flygare and Mike Engberson pause to look over the sandstone cliffs of Flat Pass. The most sheer cliffs of the Moab area are formed of Wingate Sandstone. Photo October 20, 2000 by Bruce Argyle.

UtahMountainBiking.com is your source for bike trail info, repair instructions, feature articles, first aid, fitness, and goodies.

Most riders ride point-to-point, starting at the summit cattleguard at Flat Pass. From there, it's a quick downhill to a fork in the road, where you'll turn right. (Trail intersections have signs.) A quick dip through a rather deep creek, and you're climbing up the rocky ledges.

Gary Argyle tackles a technical ledge. October 20, 2000 Bruce Argyle

Gary fights up a ledge.

For about two miles near the top of the climb, the rock is rough, with enough advanced technical ledges to practice your stunts. Five miles into the ride, on the descending side of the mountain, the trail smooths out a little.

Mike works his way a series of rock ledges. October 20, 2000.

Once you begin the descent, you'll encounter a few branching roads. Just follow the sign that says "Flat Pass." If you're ever in doubt, go left.

In the photo, the guys roll up a ledge of Kayenta sandstone underlying the domes and fins of multi-colored Navajo Sandstone. Entrada sandstone is on the skyline.

Matt (nearest the camera), Dominic Bria, and Mike climb a section of rock.

On the ascent from Mill Creek.

The Moab Valley is a sunken area where fault lines disturbed the underlying dome of salt. (This salt was deposited by periodic flooding, then evaporation, of ocean water into a deep inland depression called the Paradox Basin during the Pennsylvanian Era, about 300 million years ago.) As the salt was dissolved by seeping water, the valley floor subsided. The fault line also changed the height of the rocks on either side of Moab. To the west, younger rocks are exposed, with cliffs of Wingate Sandstone and Navajo Sandstone as a cap rock. To the east, Navajo Sandstone is nearer the valley floor, with Entrada Sandstone at the top. The displacement along the fault occurred before the present-day Colorado River began cutting into the rock, then the falling of the valley floor occurred later, resulting in the unusual topography where the valley lies at right angles to the river gorge.

The trail drops down into the canyon along Mill Creek. Once you reach the creek, it's a gradual descent through a beautiful deep sandstone canyon. This section has spots with deep sand, but every inch is rideable. You'll dip through the creek three times, then turn to climb up over the ridge to the northern trailhead.

Bruce cruises along the final section of trail near Mill Creek.

Getting there: To ride the trail point-to-point, leave a shuttle car at the northern trailhead. To get there, travel south from Moab's Center Street 4 miles. Watch for a gas/convenience store at a "T" intersection on your left. Turn left (east) here. A couple of blocks later, this road becomes Spanish Trail Road. Continue until it becomes Canyonlands (for about 100 yards). At the next intersection, turn right (east) on Westwater. Follow Westwater up to the top of the hill, where you'll see a trail sign on the right and a parking area on the left. It's two miles from the highway to the trailhead.

To get to the southern trailhead, drive back to US-191 and go south about 4 miles (you're now 8 miles south of Moab). Watch for a road on your left for Ken's Lake and La Sal Loop Road. Drive 0.5 miles, then turn right. Keep left at the next two intersections, following the signs for Ken's Lake. When the paved road veers left, keep straight (see the road going up the hill?). For point-to-point, drive on up to the hilltop, and park on the left in front of the cattleguard. For a loop, don't climb the hill. Instead, turn right into the camping area at the bottom of the wash and park there.

Flat Pass Trail Map

Riding resources for this trail:
Single-page riding guide
GPS track files and route (right-click and "Save as..."):
Garmin GPX
Low-res topo map (100 KB): view
High-res topo map (1 MB): view

For additional information, including nearby lodging, rentals, camping, and current conditions, may we suggest:
Comprehensive info on visiting Moab: http://www.moab-utah.com/
More stuff, activities: http://www.discovermoab.com/ Another source: http://www.moab.net
BLM information (OHV info, hiking, camping): http://www.blm.gov/utah/moab/rec-frame.html
Arches National Park Information: http://www.arches.national-park.com/
Canyonlands National Park: http://www.canyonlands.national-park.com/